Father kills girl, 19, for being in love with Dalit youth in Karnataka

In the second honour killing reported in just about two months in Kolar district, an autorickshaw driver allegedly smothered his 19-year-old daughter to death as she was in love with a Dalit youth from a neighbouring village. The incident took place at Thotli village in Kolar taluk in the early hours of Friday.
The family members of the deceased buried the body in a hush-hush manner without informing police or fellow villagers.But a police constable attached to Sugatur outpost got wind of the incident and brought it to the notice of Kolar superintendent of police M Narayana. The SP immediately sounded out the Kolar Rural police inspector to probe the incident.
When a police team rushed to the house of the deceased, the accused, Venkatesh Gowda, allegedly admitted to the crime. Besides Venkatesh, his brothers Mohan and Chowde Gowda have been arrested.
According to Narayana, Venkatesh's daughter Ramya had fallen in love with a Dalit youth from Aaleri, a neighbouring village. The father claimed that his repeated pleas to her to call off the relationship went in vain.
Ramya worked in a private factory near her village. Narayana said the youth is a mechanic working with a private firm. Family members came to know about the affair a month ago and everyone tried to prevail over the girl, but in vain. The girl told her family she would go with him "come what may", said the Kolar SP.
Based on the confession of the accused, police exhumed the girl's body in the presence of the taluk magistrate on Sunday morning and an autopsy was conducted on the site. Kolar Rural police inspector Lokesh has booked a case under various acts, including murder and concealing evidence, the SP said.
On June 27, a man in Bodagurki village of Bangarpet taluk had killed his 20-year-old daughter as she was in love with a Dalit youth from the same village.